Gatwick to Reading - May 2023 timetable removes main peak train

[m00036]

The new May 2023 timetable has bizarrely removed the 07:01 Shalford to Reading service, which has always been the main peak train (especially for school children) on the route. Does anyone know why GWR have removed this service? I imagine the next train will be pretty packed going forwards...

As a small positive, they have finally added a 10:30pm service from Reading towards Guildford, so at long last the 2 hour wait between trains there has been removed.

 

[JonathanH]

Does anyone know why GWR have removed this service?

The usual reason to take services out of the timetable is to meet budget cuts requested by the DfT. In this case, the removal of the peak diagram means that the unit can be deployed elsewhere on the GWR network.

I think the removal of the 'North Downs peak diagram' has been mentioned in other threads, as a way of solving problems elsewhere. It didn't have an afternoon working so was a poor use of rolling stock to just run morning peak.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...or-other-toc-stock.243188/page-5#post-6091087
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/gwr-metrowest-enhancements-stock.243355/#post-6070821

As a small positive, they have finally added a 10:30pm service from Reading towards Guildford, so at long last the 2 hour wait between trains there has been removed.

Indeed, maybe the savings made by removing the morning peak diagram have freed up funding that allows this service to run.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Take it that the weekday 0643 from Redhill, calling at Shalford (Surrey) at 0717 and arriving Reading 0816 is still running in the new timetable?

 

[JonathanH]

Take it that the weekday 0643 from Redhill, calling at Shalford (Surrey) at 0717 and arriving Reading 0816 is still running in the new timetable?

Yes, and the 0649 from Guildford (0600 from Gatwick) as well. Reading arrivals are 0734 and 0816.

 

[redbutton]

The contract for Southern drivers based at Redhill to operate GWR services over the North Downs has ended (and I'll leave it to others to opine as to which side initiated the split), so GWR are cutting the service to compensate. I've heard it will become a half-hourly skip-stop service instead of the combination of expresses and stoppers that they have now. Southern drivers won't be able to get the first train out of the sidings at Redhill, so a Reading driver will have to make their way down to take the first train back. Expect journey times to increase accordingly.

 

[JonathanH]

With only one unit at the eastern end overnight now, and it seemingly being possible for this to be an overnight turn for a Reading driver, the benefits of Southern drivers being involved seem to be fairly negligible now.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Expect journey times to increase accordingly.

Why will journey times increase because a GWR driver is being used instead of a Southern driver?

Obviously they won’t… This change has already happened with a Reading night turn working the last train over to Gatwick and the first one back in the morning.

 

[JN114]

Obviously they won’t… This change has already happened with a Reading night turn working the last train over to Gatwick and the first one back in the morning.

Since ~2019…

 

[Class 317]

As a regular daily user of this train and the one following it from Sandhurst it's understandable it's being cut as loadings are very low.
I can always get a couple of seats to myself and normally more and Fridays/ Mondays they are now very quiet.

Will have to get up 20 mins earlier some days through!

 

[FenMan]

It's more problematic that just one train to Reading in the morning peak. This unit currently also returns to Guildford to form the 0914 back to Reading, arriving at 1003.

This service no longer runs after the timetable change, meaning a 1h10m service gap in trains from internmediate stations to Reading, and, for unlucky Blackwater, the first off peak train to Reading will become the 1022 departure, arriving at 1045. An almost XCountry-ish restriction!

 

[HamworthyGoods]

It's more problematic that just one train to Reading in the morning peak. This unit currently also returns to Guildford to form the 0914 back to Reading, arriving at 1003.

This service no longer runs after the timetable change, meaning a 1h10m service gap in trains from internmediate stations to Reading, and, for unlucky Blackwater, the first off peak train to Reading will become the 1022 departure, arriving at 1045. An almost XCountry-ish restriction!

This gap appears to be have been picked up on and proposed to be resolved for the Dec 23 timetable change.

 

[FenMan]

This gap appears to be have been picked up on and proposed to be resolved for the Dec 23 timetable change.

Good news, thanks.

My cynical side thinks GWR will say it's a service enhancement (if it happens).

 

[Minstral25]

I've heard it will become a half-hourly skip-stop service instead of the combination of expresses and stoppers that they have now............................ Expect journey times to increase accordingly.

Why will journey times increase because a GWR driver is being used instead of a Southern driver?

Obviously they won’t… This change has already happened with a Reading night turn working the last train over to Gatwick and the first one back in the morning.

I don't think @redbutton means it is the Driver change causing longer journey times but that the service will become a half hourly skip-stop service extending journey times.

I assume the Skip stop would mean regular times at larger stations Reading, Wokingham, Guildford, then Reigate onwards to Gatwick to fit around SWR/GTR clockface timetables on their services at these stations and each service picks up different smaller station stops. (Dorking would not have to be exactly half hourly clockface as it does not interface with other services)

 

[Deepgreen]

This gap appears to be have been picked up on and proposed to be resolved for the Dec 23 timetable change.

How - will they be able to magic up new rolling stock by then?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

How - will they be able to magic up new rolling stock by then?

Changing the timetable and resolving service spacing doesn’t have to involve needing extra rolling stock!

The current timetable sees services bunched at Guildford with 09.45, 09.57 and 10.14 departures but no departure around 09.15, the December timetable re-patterns trains to spread these departures out and fill that gap.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Changing the timetable and resolving service spacing doesn’t have to involve needing extra rolling stock!

The current timetable sees services bunched at Guildford with 09.45, 09.57 and 10.14 departures but no departure around 09.15, the December timetable re-patterns trains to spread these departures out and fill that gap.

I think I’m right in saying that the December timetable will be a bit of a full reset for the whole route, with a more regular interval 2tph service rather than the current skewed 2-out-of-3tph pattern with the long Guildford waits?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I think I’m right in saying that the December timetable will be a bit of a full reset for the whole route, with a more regular interval 2tph service rather than the current skewed 2-out-of-3tph pattern with the long Guildford waits?

Thats what I understand to be the case.

 

[evergreenadam]

Why will journey times increase because a GWR driver is being used instead of a Southern driver?

Obviously they won’t… This change has already happened with a Reading night turn working the last train over to Gatwick and the first one back in the morning.

Does the driver stay overnight in a hotel?

 

[JonathanH]

Does the driver stay overnight in a hotel?

No, it is only three hours down time.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...8/0100-0445?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=GW

 

[Barn]

No, it is only three hours down time.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...8/0100-0445?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=GW

So, just out of curiosity, what would the driver be doing in that time? Is he/she allowed to take a nap?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

So, just out of curiosity, what would the driver be doing in that time? Is he/she allowed to take a nap?

It’ll be the same as any other night turn. They will arrive and berth the unit. Have a ‘PNB’ (Personal needs break) - in which they can do whatever they want, eat, snooze, go for a walk etc, go shopping.

Before the departure of their first service they will ‘prep’ the train for traffic then work the service.

Whilst it doesn’t apply at Redhill as only one unit stabled at other locations might turns will shunt units, take them through the wash, take them to the fuel road etc. If several units stabled overnight they may ‘prep’ units for other departures.

Whilst PNBs are generally 30-45 minutes or so often the way diagramming works is they have longer and they can do a degree do what they want within that time. Sone will have a snooze, some won’t.